In this episode:

Motherhood, success, and relationships often come with rigid societal expectations, but I've chosen a different route—one that prioritizes authenticity and personal growth over conventional norms. Living with 650 college students while navigating parenthood and sobriety was never on my life plan, yet here I am, embracing this unconventional journey. Listen in as I've learned to redefine societal norms and confront the often paralyzing feeling of shame.

Resources:

⁠Bottomless to Sober – Coaching, Classes, and Workshops⁠⁠

⁠Atomic Habits Book Study With The Luckiest Club⁠

⁠Six-Week Writing to Heal Program – Starts March 3⁠

Transcript

In this episode:

I share how my once-social relationship with alcohol turned into a hidden struggle during my early years as a teacher. We’ll explore the intense pressures of the classroom, the risks of unhealthy coping mechanisms, and the urgent warning from the U.S. Surgeon General about alcohol. Drawing comparisons to the historical shift in tobacco awareness, I highlight the importance of informed choices and self-care in the education profession. Featuring insights from my Education Week interview, this episode is a vital conversation for educators facing stress and its hidden challenges.

Resources:

U.S. Surgeon General Issues New Advisory on Link Between Alcohol and Cancer Risk

Education Week - Why Stressed-Out Teachers Should Heed New Health Warnings About Alcohol

⁠Bottomless to Sober – Coaching, Classes, and Workshops⁠⁠

⁠Atomic Habits Book Study With The Luckiest Club⁠

⁠Six-Week Writing to Heal Program – Starts March 3⁠

Transcript

In this episode:

In this episode of Bottomless to Sober, I return after a long (super long) hiatus to share life updates, including the birth of my daughter, Amara, and my journey into motherhood. I reflect on how sobriety has equipped her to navigate the fear and uncertainty of major life changes, from her early delivery due to health concerns to the sleepless nights of newborn care. I also revisit into the importance of setting and honoring boundaries in 2025, encouraging you to stay committed to your limits and prioritize self-care amid life's challenges.

Resources:

Bottomless to Sober – Coaching, Classes, and Workshops⁠

Atomic Habits Book Study With The Luckiest Club

Six-Week Writing to Heal Program - Starts March 3

Transcript

In this episode:

Feeling like you might be the odd one out at social gatherings because you've chosen sobriety? You’re not alone. In this episode, I share tips to help you decide if navigating social events where alcohol is often front and center is something you are ready for.

Resources:

Bottomless to Sober – Coaching, Classes, and Workshops

Transcript

In this episode:

Preventing substance use in children starts earlier than you might think—right from kindergarten. In this eye-opening episode, I welcome Jessica Lahey, an educator, New York Times bestselling author, and speaker, who shares insights from her book The Addiction Inoculation: Raising Healthy Kids in a Culture of Dependence. Jessica highlights the developmental differences in how young people respond to substances and provides parents, educators, and community members with the tools they need to have effective and informed conversations about substance use and safety. Discover how cumulative, consistent efforts are far more impactful than one-time discussions in fostering healthy habits and mindsets in children and how to find the courage to name the things that are happening as opposed to keeping things hidden.

conversations about substance use and safety. Discover how cumulative, consistent efforts are far more impactful than one-time discussions in fostering healthy habits and mindsets in children and how to find the courage to name the things that are happening as opposed to keeping things hidden.

Resources:

Jessica Lahey's Site + Books

Follow Jessica Lahey on Instagram

World Health Organization's Statistics on Alcohol Use

Bottomless to Sober – Coaching, Classes, and Workshops

Jessica Lahey's Book Recommendations:

High: Everything You Want to Know About Drugs, Alcohol, and Addiction by David Sheff and Nic Sheff

Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain by Daniel Siegel

The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Nadine Burke Harris

Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls by Lisa Damour

Transcript

In this episode:

Join me as I share a deeply personal journey through grief and family dynamics in this heartfelt episode. Through the lens of my own story, I explore the impact of my oldest sister Sandra's sudden passing and the intricate relationships among siblings with significant age and cultural differences. Despite these gaps, the bond we share as our mother's children remains a powerful common thread. Sobriety, though not a cure-all, equips us to face life's challenges head-on. During my trip to Costa Rica, I balanced mourning with the need to continue our travel plans, allowing myself to feel deeply and openly. This episode highlights the beauty of experiencing multiple emotions simultaneously and underscores the significance of getting better at feeling rather than just feeling better.

Resources:

Six-Week Writing to Heal Starts June 3rd

Transcript

In this episode:

When my patience was pushed to its limits by a friend who saw the glass perpetually half empty, I stumbled upon a profound truth about standing firm in who you are. That's what this episode is all about: peeling back the layers to be our authentic selves and find the places where we belong without pretense. 

Resources:

Six-Week Writing to Heal Program

Transcript

In this episode:

Join me on a journey of self-discovery and transformation with my dear friend and cycle breaker coach, Priscilla María. Priscilla María is a Keynote Speaker and Certified Trauma Recovery Coach who empowers others to become cycle breakers. Some cycles her clients are courageously breaking are unresolved trauma, childhood wounds, people-pleasing, self-doubt, domestic violence, and self-criticism.

She has her own coaching practice, Cycle Breakers Club LLC, but also coaches for the Reframe App and a scholarship program that serves first-generation Latinx college students.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we're shining a light on the powerful concept of cycle breaking—a vital step in overcoming inherited trauma and addictive behaviors. Priscilla shares her personal healing journey, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and the courage needed to confront and change dysfunctional patterns. Tune in as she offers practical wisdom on using feedback, introspection, and a deep understanding of our nervous system to create a healthier, brighter future.

Resources:

Work with Priscilla

Follow Priscilla on Instagram

Learn about ACEs (adverse childhood experiences)

DBT Resource Mentioned by Priscilla

Six-Week Writing to Heal Program

Transcript

CW: discussion of intimate partner violence

In this episode:

There's a profound mix of beauty and pain in the narrative of my family, from my grandmother's sacrifices of selling lottery tickets to avoid returning to an abuser's home to the cultural tradition of silence that influenced my own journey in mental health. Honoring the choices of our women before me and discerning what to carry forward, this episode extends a heartfelt message of love and well-being to all who listen, and sets the stage for an insightful exploration of the book "It Didn't Start With You," for those eager to understand the profound impact of intergenerational trauma on our lives.

Resources:

Six-Week Writing to Heal Program – Starts June 3rd!

Book Study: It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn

Transcript

In this episode:

Join me as I candidly share personal experiences, answering powerful questions from a recent Q&A that touch on self-confidence, sobriety, moderation, and the complexities of dating without the influence of substances. It is a conversation that celebrates the small yet significant choices that forge the path to reclaiming not just sobriety, but also the self-esteem that addiction often corrodes.

Resources:

Six-Week Writing to Heal Program - Starts June 3rd!

Book Study: It Didn't Start With You by Mark Wolynn

Ngl Link - Get folks to ask you questions anonymously.

Transcript